As we move into the New Year here in the United States, we would expect to find Americans doing what they’ve always done: Making resolutions to better themselves all through the foggy lens of a wicked hangover.
But, instead, it appears as though citizens of the greatest country in the world are overtly concerned about the a number of rather dramatic possibilities…some that could forever alter the history of America herself.
Coming off several challenging years, Americans enter 2023 with a mostly gloomy outlook for the U.S. as majorities predict negative conditions in 12 of 13 economic, political, societal and international arenas.
When offered opposing outcomes on each issue, about eight in 10 U.S. adults think 2023 will be a year of economic difficulty with higher rather than lower taxes and a growing rather than shrinking budget deficit. More than six in 10 think prices will rise at a high rate and the stock market will fall in the year ahead, both of which happened in 2022. In addition, just over half of Americans predict that unemployment will increase in 2023, an economic problem the U.S. was spared in 2022.
But then things take a tough turn:
On the domestic front, 90% of Americans expect 2023 will be a year of political conflict in the U.S., 72% think the crime rate will rise, and 56% predict there will be many strikes by labor unions.
Regarding world affairs, 85% of U.S. adults predict the year ahead will be fraught with international discord rather than peaceful. And while 64% think the United States’ power in the world will decline, 73% think China’s power will increase. However, 64% of Americans expect Russia’s power in the world will decrease in 2023, likely a reflection of that country’s recent setbacks in its war against Ukraine.
Much of the concern regarding domestic trouble could be linked to the DOJ’s potential indictment of former President Donald Trump – a move that would almost certainly cause an enormous political kerfuffle ahead of the 2024 election.
